little



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet: 1. J. R. LITTLE.

MANUFACTURE OF METAL WHEELS.

No. 338,988. Patented Mar. 30, 1886.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. R. LITTLE.

MANUFACTURE OF METAL WHEELS.

No. 388,988. Patented Mar. 30, 1886.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. R. LITTLE.

MANUFACTURE OF METAL WHEELS.

No. 338,988. Patented Mar. 30, 1886.

iinrrn TATES ATENT Oriana,

JAMES R. LITTLE, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE QUINCY METAL WHEELCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MANUFACTURE OF METAL WHEELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,988, dated March30, 1856.

Application filed November 19, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES It. LITTLE, of Quincy, in the county of Adams,and in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Manufacture of Metal lVhcels; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompa nying drawings, in which Figure 1. isa perspective view of the hub, rim, and one of the spokes of my wheelbefore being inserted. Fig. 2 is a like View of the hub and spokes ascombined. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the completed wheel. Fig. 4 I5is a side elevation of the same, the hub being shown in cross-section,and a portion of the rim being broken away to show the form of a spokeat such point. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the spider and rim inposition upon the mechanism employed for placing said rim upon thespokes; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the same.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of thefigures.

My invention relates to the construction of metal wheels in which therim is welded and made solid before being combined with the spider; andit consists in the method employed for constructing the wheel,substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

In the carrying of my invention into effect I employ a metal hub, A,which is preferably provided with two parallel circumferentialenlargements, a, that increase the thickness at 3 5 such points, andwithin which are formed radial mortises a, that extend from theperiphery of said hub into its axial opening o Said mortises arepreferably arranged so that each mortise of a row comes opposite to thespace he- 0 tween two mortises ot' the opposite row, the result soughtbeing the production of a wheel having staggered spokes.

Within each mortise a is inserted one end of a metal spoke, B, which issecuredin posi- 5 tion therein bysueh longitudinal compression as willcause the part within said mortise to be expanded and caused to closelyfill the same. The longitudinal compression is also, preferably, causedto expand said spoke outside of said mortise and to form at such pointan enlargement, b. The wheel-spider is now ready Serial No. 183,371, (Nomodel.)

to be combined with the rim 0, which is a solid continuous ring ofmetal, and is provided at suitable equidistant points with radialmortiscs,c, that correspond in number to the numher of the spokes B, andhave such diameter as to enable the latter to be easily insertedtherein. The spider is now placed upon a vertical bearing, 1), whichsubstantially fills the axial opening a of the hub A, and the rim G isplaced upon said spider and about one-half of its mortiscs 0 passed overthe ends of the contiguous spokes B, after which, by means of ahand-lever, 1*], said rim is sprung outward at its intersection witheach of the remaining spokes until the end of such spoke may pass withinsaid rim and enter its mortise. The wheel is now completed bycompressing, 1ongitudinally, the outer portion of each spoke B until itclosely fills its mortise c, and, prefera- 7o bly, there is formed uponsaid spoke, immediately inside of the rim 0, an enlargement, I), thatcorresponds to the enlargement Z) near the inner end of said spoke.

By this method of constructing metal wheels perfect uniformity in thediameter of the rims and in the tension of the spokes may be secured,and a better and stronger article pro duced than would otherwise bepracticable.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, whatI claim is- 1. The method of constructing a metal wheel which consists,first, in securing the inner ends of the spokes within mortises in ahub, next in placing upon the outer ends of said spokes a solid rimprovided with spoke-mortises, and, lastly, by longitudinal compressionexpand ing the ends of said spokes laterally within and causing the sameto closely fill said rimmortises, substantially as specified. go

2. The method of constructing a metal wheel which consists, first, inexpanding the inner ends of the spokes within and causingthe same toclosely fill the mortises of a hub,next placing upon the outer ends ofsaid spokes asolid rim provided with spoke-mortises, and, lastly, bylongitudinal compression expanding the ends of said spokes laterallywithin and causing the same to closely fill said rinrmortises,substantially as shown.

3. In the construction of metal wheels, the method of combining a solidmortised rim Inr - with the outer ends of spokes, which are securedwithin and project radially froma hub,

consisting in placing said rim over the outer ends of the contiguousspokes at one side of the hub, and then springing it radially outwardover the end of each of the remaining spokes, substantially as setforth.

4. The method of constructing a metalwheel which consists, first, insecuring the inner ends of the spokes within a mortised hub, nextplacing a solid mortised rim over the outer ends of the contiguousspokes at one side of said hub and then springing said rim radiallyoutward over the end of each of the remain ing spokes, and, lastly,expanding said spokes within and causing the same to fill saidrimmortises, substantially as shown and described.

5. The method of constructing metal wheels which consists, first, insecuring the ends of the spokes within a mortised hub, next plac- 2o inga solid mortised rim over the outer ends of the contiguous spokes at oneside of said hub and then springing said rim radially outward over theend of each of the remaining spokes, and, lastly, securing the latterwithin said rim by compressing the outer portion of each spokelongitudinally until it closely fills its mortise and is enlarged ateach end of the same, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I 0 have hereunto set my handthis 13th day of November, A. D. 1885.

JAMES R. LITTLE. Witnesses:

J: W. GARDNER, PLINY B. WILLIAMS.

